Quen
Quen is defined as energy harnessed to produce supernatural effects, often for the purposes of combat. The kinds of effects will vary depending on the Wielder (the individual harnessing the energy) and the Source (the pool of energy the Wielder draws from). Definitions Link: A Link is the connection between a Wielder and a Source of Quen. The strength of a Wielder’s Link to a Source is typically predictive of her Mastery in that Source, and affects the ways that Wielder can use the Quen they gain. Source: The pool of energy from which Quen is collected by a Wielder. There are technically dozens of potential sources of Quen, but the most powerful comprise the different Paths a Wielder may choose to Master. Wielder: A user of Quen. Wielders are almost universally Higher Beings, as Mortals cannot form connections to Quen Sources unless under extremely rare circumstances. Crown: A Crown is a semi-physical embodiment of Quen earned via a Pledge to a Divinity. Crowns can be used to enhance one’s abilities beyond their ordinary scope. Generally speaking, the more powerful the Crown, the greater one’s abilities are enhanced. In religious script, to gain a crown with one of the Divinities is a symbol of that Divinity’s faith in you as a warrior, and as such those with Crowns are highly respected in the Higher Realms. Pledge: A pact made with a Divinity, which results in the acquisition of a Crown when completed. A Pledge must have three components: a Task, a Wager, and Limits. Artifact: An item that has been imbued with Quen properties, giving it supernatural capabilities. There are millions of Relics, but in most cases, Relics are imbued with simple Quen designed to make them more useful (e.g. weapon enhancements, more protective armor, etc.). Some Relics, however, are more powerful, and can be used to great or terrible effect. The levels of the different Relics are: Common, Rare, Secret, Mythic, Ancient, Legendary, and Divine (Relic). Basics The mastery of Quen can be boiled down into a few key skills: establishing a Link, energy manipulation, and strategic usage. If one is able to proficiently do all three with a given Source of Quen, then they have mastered it. To establish a Link means to form a stable, lasting connection to a given Source of Quen. This Source can (in theory) be any of the Divine or Universal Forces, though which Source a Wielder chooses to Link will depend on their natural proficiencies. So, while it is technically possible to form a Link to any Source, some Wielders will be able to form stronger Links to certain Sources. Lyriites, for instance, are able to naturally form strong Links to Lyra, and as such require less times to Master the Path of Lyra. Establishing a Link does not guarantee a definite supply of Quen, however. Some Sources, such as Imperios, are limited in quantity, and need time to replenish before being Linked to again. Other Sources, such as the Aur, are so powerful in nature that establishing a Link to them for a prolonged period is dangerous, and can have negative consequences for the Wielder. Once a Wielder has gained proficiency in establishing a link, she must then learn how to use and manipulate the Quen she has gained from that Source. The ways in which a Wielder can manipulate their energy are effected by a number of things, such as their natural proficiencies, their past memories and experiences, and the nature of the Quen they have Linked to. A Wielder that can both Link to and manipulate Quen is now in a position to use Quen in combat. From there, she may come to develop skills unique to her, and will gain experience on how best to utilize her Quen in combat. This is often the difference between those that have proficiency in Quen, and those that have truly mastered it. True masters have experience that lends to the development of combat strategy, which allow them to adapt and improvise more efficiently and effectively than others. The relative strength of Quen users, then, is a combination of their proficiency, experience, and talent, as well as how many Crowns they may possess. Two of the most basic applications of Quen are the production of Auras and Bulwarks. An Aura is a controlled, sustained release of Quen from a Wielder. Depending on the strength of the Wielder, the Aura can take on certain properties, and can even do harm to others because of its weight. Because of this, the Sages of Aurivald and other powerful Wielders are required to wear severe limiters whenever they travel to another realm (especially Mortal Realms), as their resting Auras are powerful enough to harm or even kill weaker beings. Auras can be manipulated in a number of ways to serve the Wielder, such as being condensed to form a Bulwark. A Bulwark is a condensed layer of Quen surrounding a Wielder’s body, almost like a second skin. Its purpose is to shield the Wielder from hostile Quen that would otherwise affect them. For instance, an enemy that can control water or ice might manipulate or freeze the water in another Wielder’s body, killing them without any chance for evasion. Bulwarks help defend against such attacks, and are therefore necessary in battles between Quen Wielders. However, Bulwarks are usually not powerful enough to prevent external attacks (e.g. weapons, fireballs, and other projectile skills). To guard against such attacks, additional skills are needed. Furthermore, Bulwarks are extremely efficient Quen abilities due to their proximity to the Wielder. Therefore, in order for an aggressor to bypass or break through a Bulwark, they must have an exponentially higher level of Quen mastery, and a substantial amount of power to expend. In other words, a Bulwark from a Novice should be strong enough to counter skills from Apprentice, or even Learned Quen Wielders, but will likely not stand up against an Adept or Expert Wielder. Paths Although there are many ways one can access Quen, in reality there are only seven sources that are powerful enough to be used in combat. These are the Divine and Universal Forces, which each comprise a given Path a Wielder may choose to Master. A Path refers to the totality of learning and practice that a Wielder must obtain in order to truly Master a particular Source of Quen. Common Wielders should be able to become proficient in one Path, with some especially talented or hardworking Wielders being able to Master two or three. To become proficient in more than three Paths is considered genius territory, with only a handful of Wielders throughout history being able to Master four or more Paths. One’s Mastery is denoted by their rank in a given path, which is determined by both the strength of their Link, and their ability to manipulate the Quen in that Path. Novice (Link lvl 1-9) Apprentice (Link lvl 10-19) Acolyte (Link lvl 20-29) Learned (Link lvl 30-44) Adept (Link lvl 45-59) Expert (Link lvl 60-74) Master (Link lvl 75-89) Grandmaster (Link lvl 90+) As a general rule of thumb, difficulty in increasing Link levels is exponential, meaning it is substantially harder to ascend from being an Expert Wielder to a Master Wielder than it is to ascend from a Novice to an Apprentice. It usually takes years of training and dedication to raise even one Link level, with many Wielders spending thousands of years to become Masters. Whatsmore, the Link is a like a muscle; fail to use it regularly, and it will diminish. In other words, once a Wielder has obtained Mastery in a Path, she must continue to work hard in order to retain her proficiency in Quen. Crowns In addition to the general proficiency one gains in Quen through training and study, Wielders can also obtain power by earning Crowns. Crowns are blessings from a given Divinity, and can be used in combat to elevate one’s abilities far beyond their normal level. It was formerly believed that a Wielder can have a maximum of nine Crowns, but Azmar Di Shuja seems to be an exception, as he is the owner of ten Crowns. To earn a Crown, one must perform a Pledge. This is a ceremony where the Wielder beseeches one of the Divinities, and declares three things; a Task, a Wager, and Limits. The Task denotes what the Wielder is promising to accomplish in the name of that Divinity, such as slaying a beast or recovering a lost item. The Wager is what the Wielder will sacrifice should they fail to accomplish that Task. If a Wielder seeks to Wager something risky, she must offer something she deems to be valuable, such as her power, her possessions, or even her life. The Limits define what restrictions the Wielder places upon themself while accomplishing the Task. For example, a Wielder may establish a time limit, promise to complete the Task alone, or swear that she will not use particular skills. These three components contribute to the Pledge’s difficulty, which in turn translate to the level of Crown awarded upon completion of the Pledge. A more difficult Task, combined with a risky Wager and restrictive Limits will result in a more powerful Crown upon completion. Pledges also have a difficulty “floor,” as Pledges that are not deemed challenging enough will not result in any Crowns. The levels of Crowns are: Common, Guilded, Noble, and Royal. Royal Crowns are by far the most powerful, and are also the hardest to obtain. Only true veterans of Quen are capable of obtaining one, and many Quen Masters have perished in the attempt. One of the more common ways that Quen Wielders obtain Royal Crowns is by making a Pledge to climb Morza, the tallest mountain in existence. Notably, this is a requirement to become a Sage of Aurivald, meaning that anyone that holds the Title of “Sage” is expected to possess at least one Royal Crown. Unique Skills Quen is not inherently universal. Though the different Sources of Quen may be largely predictable in their nature and application, every Wielder is different as a conduit. In particular, a Wielder’s beliefs, disposition, experiences, and state of mind can all affect the Quen that they utilize. Some Sources, such as Syros and Hessa, are more sensitive to these differences, to the point where entire abilities can be formed based on the Wielder’s mood. This is all to say that while there is a plethora of Quen abilities that can be universalized and taught to many different Wielders, some abilities cannot be replicated, as they arise from the signature, personal Quen that comes from a Wielder’s unique circumstances. These Unique Skills often arise once a Wielder has obtained the rank of “Adept,” and their budding mastery of Quen is strong enough to support a personalized Quen signature. There is no hard limit to how many Unique Skills a Wielder can have, though on average Wielders are able to create between one and three Unique Skills per Path they have mastered. There are only a handful of Wielders throughout history that have managed to create four Unique Skills in a given Path, and they were universally dedicated to that Path (i.e. they did not even attempt to learn any others). Unique Skills are usually more powerful than standardized skills, and so Wielders that have several Unique Skills will almost always defeat other Wielders. Among the most powerful Unique Skills are those with Restrictions. These skills are, either naturally or by the Wielder’s choice, limited—most commonly, there are a number of conditions that must be met before they can be used fully. Generally, skills with more conditions will be more powerful once the conditions are met. Another common Restriction is a cost. Ordinarily, Quen skills are not terribly taxing on the Wielder (so long as they are able to properly and strategically maintain a Link). However, some more powerful skills will be directly harmful to the Wielder upon their usage. This is more common among masters of the Aur, as the Aur is considered the most naturally powerful Source, and as such can be very difficult to wield sustainably. Category:Quen